Line-casting machine.



I. c L. DAIX. LINE CASTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 28, 1906.

Q tHIHIII j||| [j m 3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Patented Dec. 28,1909.

HI ll mm atfmueq' WXM F. c. L. DAIX.

LINE CASTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 28, 1906'.

Patented De0.28, 1909.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

F. c. L. DAIX. LINE CASTING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 28 1906.

944,981. Patented Dec.28, 1909.

s sums-sum s.

w vtueooao 51 v v r" 4 v Jfziefllwlv f I k 35 M aflpzmuf g u I 20 without change in its 40' of the side pieces aw andone by the top jaw; and. each is sprmg-pressed toward the opposite jaw.

50 side piece which it t5 or cast line. Thes I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRITZ e. LUCKE ioAIx, or NEW YO K, N. Y.

LINE-CASTING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 28, 1909.

Application filed March 28, 1906. Serial No. 308,522. I

7 To all whom it may concemr Be it known that I,- Fm'rz O. LUoKn nAIx, of New York city, in the-county and fitate of New York, have invented 'certain new and useful Improvements in.-Line-Casting Machines, of which the following is a specification. I

These improvements in line casting and kindred machines have to-do with the mold 20 in which the slug or line is cast, the primary object of the invention being to provide a mold adapted to cast slugs or lines of any desired length, without necessitatin 'the addition, removal, or substitution of any :of

15 the parts of. the mold.

It is also the purpose of the invention to provide a mold which; possesses th' is samc characteristic as regards the thickness of the slug or line-that is to say, a mold which, parts themselves, but merely by changes in the adjustment of those parts, is adapted to cast, slugs, or'lines of varying thickness as desired.

It 1s also the purpose of the invention to- .25 combine with a mold thus variable as to,

length and width of its mold space, means a for automatically opening the mold in both directions during its travelfrom casting to ejecting position to an extent sufficient to reso" lieve the pressure upon the cast slug, and

- adjustable means for automatically closing the mold to onelength and width or another as required during'its return from ejecting to pasting position. This I believe to be $5 broadly-new withme, beyondits preferred structural embodiment hereinafter set forth.

In the preferred embodiment of my invention'the mold is composed in the main of, top and .ibot-to jaws and side pieces. One 1s carried by the bottom ()ne of the jaws. preferably thetop or cap 1 1W, is movable to and from the other jaw 45 to open and close the mold and also to adapt I the mold to cast slugs of different thicknessesas desired, and the other of said jaws, preferably the bottomjaw, is movable and. adjustable lengthwise in order to bring the carries nearer to or farther from the side piece carried by the opposite jaw. according as it is desired to decrease or increastgthe length .of the mold space and the consequent length of the slug 1 e and other features of my i improvements will first be d scribed in connection with the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification and will then be more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawingsFigure 1 is a front elevation of a mold embodying my improvements in their preferred form.- Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the same-looking at the right hand end of the moldFig. 1. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section of the same on line 33 Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal vertical section of the same on line 44 Fig. 5. Fig- 5 is a transverse vertical section of the same'on line 55 Fig. 4, showing toa large extent diagrammatically, the melting pot spout and the matrix holder against the front and rearrespectively of the mold space. Fig. 6 is a top plan/ of the mold.

Fig.

mold, showing (as-in Fig. '5) the'spout of the melting pot closed a ainst the back of the mold s ace and. t e matrix holder againstthe ront thereof. Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a portion of the to 1 and bottom jaws; Fig. 9'is ,a. front elevation of In the present embodiment of my inventlon the mold proper is shown as mounted in a-siide F (Figs. 1, 4, 5,12,13), which in turn is mounted in acarrier frame G (Figs. ..7) the slideF being capable of sliding movement in, and lengthwise of, the carrier frame to conveythe mold from castlng to ejecting position and return, and the carrier frame being in turn capable of movement, (at right angles toithatof the slide) toward and'away from the. position occupied by-the Y (Figs.j2',-z5jand7). at the line of matrices I casting point, as set forth inconnection with the like lettered parts in my Patent No. 834.971 of November 6, 1906. It will be understood however that the mold in which my present in ention is comprised is not necis an enlarged vertical cross section of '75 "a portion of the top and bottomplates of the and the adj ustable Fig. 14 is aperspective essarily limited in its use, to its conjunction with th e'instrumentalities, but is susceptible of u e in other connections.

The mold proper c0nsists (see more particularly Figs. 1, 4, 8, 9) of the bottom and topjaws 1 and 2, and the side pieces 3 and 5 which form the side walls of' the mold.

These four members are permanently associated together to form at all times and under all conditions the four walls of the slot or mold space, while at the same time, as will hereinafter appear, they are so connected and arranged as to be relatively movableto change the length or the width of the slot, whereby the length and thickness or either, of the slug produced may be varied, without change or substitution in any of the members, and without" removing parts from or applying parts to the mold. The top and bottom jaws of the mold aremovable the one from the other tovary the distance between them and thus to correspondingly vary the thickness of the cast slug or line. In the preferred embodiment of my invention the side pieces 3 and 5, are carried each by one of the jaws, the side piece 3 by the jaw 1, and the side piece 5 by the jaw 2. The side piece 3 is mounted in a guide slotin the lower jaw in whichit is vertically movable and is impelled with yielding "pressure toward the upper jaw by a spring 4 attached to the lower jaw. The side piece 5 is correspondingly mounted in a guide slot (at the opposite end of the mold space) in the upper jaw 2, and is impelled with yielding'pressure toward the lower jaw by a spring 6 attached to the upper jaw. Thus, if the distance between the top and bottom jaws'be increased or decreased, the springpressed, spring-. yielding, side pieces 3and 5 will be in effect self-ad usting, that is, they wi ll automatically adapt themselves to these variations, each maintaining firm and close contact with the jaw opposite to it. This I believe to be new with me over and beyond the particular arrangement of these pieces one in each jawis concerned. I prefer, however, the arrangement just described, because, by making one of the jaws-thelower jaw 1 for example movable and adjustable lengthwise relatively to the other jaw, the distance betwen the two side pieces 3 and 5, and consequently the length of the mold space (which governs the length of the cast s ug or line) can be varied at pleasure. Manifestly, as will be understood by the mechanic skilled in the art to which this invention relates, various instrumentalities may be employed to secure either or both of these adjustments. In the accompanying drawing I have represented the instrumentalities which at present I prefer to employ for the purpose and will proceed to describe them.

The slide F is of skeleton form. It is supported and can slide lengthwise in the carrier G,the latter having at the top a longitudinal guide groove which is entered by av corresponding guide rib 30011 the top of the slide (Fig. 5), and at the bottom a longitndinal guide groove which is entered by a corresponding rib 22.011 the under side of the base df theslide, which rib is formed as a rack to engage a pinion 21, which has its bearings in the carrier frame G and by which the slide is moved at proper intervals from the casting point to the ejecting point and return, as set forth in my aforesaid pat. out No. 834,971. 7 4 l The jaw 1 rests, and takes its bearing, on the base of the slide F, as seen in Fig. 5, and is capable of lengthwise movement thereon. It is held u right between the back oftlie slide, and tlie guide plate 8 (Figs. 5, 8) aflixed to the front of the slide. tudinal adjustment is effected by a rotatable screw threaded spindle 10 (Fig. 12) supported in suitable bearings in the slide F, an carrying a nut 9, which is suitably secured to the jaw 1. By r01 ating the screw Its longispindle, the nut, and the jaw 1 fast to said the direction of rotation of the spindle. The

right hand end of the spindle 10 is squared (Figs. 4, 5) to receive a detachable handle or key, which may be used togotate the spindle, as will be understood without further explanation. The jaw 1 in its movements carries with itthe side piece 3, and thus this side piece can be caused to approach or recede fromits fellow-side piece 53 carried by the upper jaw, in this way varyingthe length of the mold space as desired.

The upper jaw 2, is supported and can move vertically up and down between guide plates 16 (Figs. 1, 4) fixed to the slide F, there being a tongue and groove or equiva lent connection between the plates and the jaw, (whereby the latter isvheld in proper position and relation to the lower jaw,while and held depressed against the lifting tendency of said side pieces, by means of a presser 15 (Figs. 1, 2, 4, 5,6, 9 and 1 0) of substantially cross section, its upper and horizontal limb extending into a guide groove 15 (Fig. 12) in which it is-siipport-' ed. and can move longitudinally. V The lower. and vertical limb of the presser' is wedge shape, its inclinedbottom edge bearing 0n,a correspondinglyinclinedv edge on the top of the upper jaw, Under this arrangement it will be seen that, by advancing the presser to the right, the upper jaw will be depressed against the stress of the spring impelled side pieces 3. 5, thus closing the mold. A movement of the presser in theopposite direction will relieve the pressure of the jaw and i permit it to be correspondingly lifted by the the width of the mold space when themold i the cast line. Various instr unentalities can be made use of to advance and retract the presser. For reasons which will hereinafter be indicated, I prefer to employ for this purpose a spring yielding actuating device. l consisting of the thumb screw 18, mounted is closed, and consequently the thickness-of on the left'hand end of the slide,'and the the mold thus being normally closed.

mold must be opened to permit the removal tion of the arrow" (Fig. 4) from-casting po the lower'end 26 of the spring arm pro ects spiral spring 17 interposed and held between the end of the screw, and the horizon- E tal'limb .of presser 15, and bearing constantly against the presser, pushing it in a direction to cause the presser to advance and close the mold. The pressure of the spring 1.7 which can be varied and adjusted by means of the adjusting screw 18-should be strong enough to overcome the counter spring pressure of the side pieces 3 'and .5,

From the foregoing it will he noted that the means for adjustably closing the jaws forthe purpose of varying the Width for the l mold space are independent of the nneans l hereinbefore described for varying the length of the mold space, whereby the mold 1' space may be rapidly and definitely varied in either direction independently of; the other. C

After the slug or line has beenv cast, the 5 or eject-ment of the cast line. It is for this purpose that the actuating mechanism of the presser-lo is made spring-yielding. I

In Figs. land 4, the mold and slide Fin which it is mounted are shown in the posi- I tion in the carrier frame G which they oc-"E cupy during he casting operation. After i this operation, the slide, together with the 5 mold mounted therein, move in the direcsition to ejecting position-that is. to a position opposite to theejector by which. the slag is expelled from the mold. It is my purpose to open the moldby the time it reaches ejecling position. To this end I provide on the l rear end of the horizontal limb of presser 155,

an upright finger 15". In the path of this upright finger, ,there is secured in the carf r1er frame G a s'top'23 (Figs. 4 and 6) at. a

point where it will be reached by the finger 5 15 slightly before the mold reaches ej-ecting posithm. This stop 23as indicated in the figures referred to-is movable and adjustable in a longitudinal slot in the carrier frame wherein it is held in desired position v by a clamp nut, the purpose of this adjustment being to permit the stop to meet the and to meet therein at the latter, as plainly shown in Fig. 4.

The rib 30, as seen infFigs. 4 and is longitudinally channeled on top, and the stop 23,'as seen in Fig. 4, is so located a-s to enter this channel during the movement of the mold from casting to ejecting position,

finger 15 formed in tom of the rib 3Q,"up into the channel in the which projects through a slot In operation, the finger 15 meets the stop 23, while the slide and mold are traveling in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 4, and a little before the mold reaches the end of its travelain this direction. As the fin er brings up against the stop, thepresser W111 beheld back, while the mold still moves forward, with the result that by-the time the mold reaches e'ecting position the downward pressure onthe upper jaw will be relieved, thus permitting the spring-impelled side pieces 3, 5, to raisethis jaw, thereby opening the mold. It is desirable that the slug, before ejection, should be relieved from side pressure also. To this end, the rotatable '75 proper time the v the top of the slide and the botend of slide F, being confined between that end of the slide and a collar olrthe spindle.

The left hand end of the spindle passes loosely through aspri'ngarm 26, secured at its upper end to'the slide, and has, on that l portion of it which projects beyond the spriilg arm, nuts 25 or equivalent devices, which prevent it. from drawing out from the spring arm under the action of spring 24, whichspring thrusts spindle 10endw1se to the right, as far as permitted by-the. nuts 25. The spring arm 26 has an adjusting screw 26 'which brings up against the slide; and

down below the bottom of the slide (see Fig. 4) far enough to act as a sto to meet, at the propertime in the travel 0 the mold from casting to ejecting position, a shoulder 27 on the carrier G, whereby the screw spindle 10 is held back while the slide F still H moves forward, thus holding back the lower jaw while the slide and upper ,jaw' are Stlll' moving forward to the right, and consequently drawing theside piece 3 sl ghtly away from the cast line or slug. While the mold remains at ejecting position. it will be held .in open position both as to sides and top. But when the mold returns from that position to casting position. the moment the movable stop members 15 and 26", are retracted from engagement with their respective fixed stop members on the carrier frame, the springs 17 and 24, will at once reassert' themselves, and all parts of the mold will automatically resume their normal position. Thus it will be seen that the mold is combined with means whereby, during its travel from ejecting to casting position, it is automatically closed both lengthwise and widthwise; that these means are adjustable for the purpose of closing the mold to one length and width or another as required; and thatthe adjustable means for automatically effectin the lengthwise closure are independent .the adjustable means for automatically elfectingthe widthwise closure.

The upper jaw has on its under face, a longitudinal rib 14 (Figs. 4, 5, 8), the puri'pose'of which isto form a groove in the top side of the line or slug tobe'cast. Fig. 12 shows a cast linerovided with such a groove. The side piece 3, has in its topa corresponding groove to receive this rib 14 (Fig. 8) the latter thus acting as a guide to insure the "parallelism of the piece 3 during the horizontal movement of the jaw 1.

The upper face of the lower jaw,on the outside of the mold space and to the left of side piece 3, is raised up above the level of that portionof said face of said jaw included within the mold, as seen in Figs. 1, 4, 9, this raised portion being provided in the present instance by a strip 12 of proper thickness secured upon the upper face of the aw, and fitted close up against the side piece The nose ofthe spout of the melting pot, has usually the same breadth laterally as the greatest breadth of mold space. But when that breadth of mold space is contracted by moving the jaw 1 and its side piece 3 to the right, the unused. portion of the spout will extend laterally beyond the side piece The strip or enlargement 12, in these Cll cumstances, will come opposite thisunused 3 portion of the spout as indicated in Fig. 7,

and will effectually close v The operation of the device has been described in the course of the foregoing specification, so far as is needed to an understand '"F ing of the improvement here claimed, and

need not be repeated. u

The slug must of course be trimmed and; shaved after having been cast. Such' devices form no art of the present invention; but suitable evices for that purpose are fully set forth in my-aforesaid patent No. 834,971 of November 6, 1906. Q I state in COIlClllSlOIFthfit I do not restrict myself 'to the mechanical details herein set P forth in illustration of my improvements since manifestly the same can be considerably varied without departure fromthe spirit of my invention. But

What I claim herein as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is as follows:

1. In a line casting machine, a mold the top and 'bottom of which are formed of parallel jaws, a carrier in which said jaws are movable one-to and from the other to open and close the mold, spring-impelled side pieces mounted and interposed between said jaws, forming the side walls of the mold and tending to hold the jaws in open position, and means for closing the aws against the pressure of the side pieces, substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore set forth.

2. In a line casting machine, a mold car rier, a lower mold jaw mounted in said carrier, an upper mold jaw also mounted therein and capable of vertical movement to and fromthe lower jaw, a presser mounted in, and movable lengthwise of, the carrier, and having an incline which meets a corresponding incline on the upper jaw, means for moving the presser lengthwise of the carrier, and

means for holding the incline on the upper jaw up against, and in yielding contact with, the presser, substantially as set forth.

3. In a line casting machine and in combinatioxna mold carrier and two mold jaws mounted therein, the upper jaw vertically movable to and from the lower jaw, a presser mounted in, and movable lengthwise of, the

carrier, and having an incline which meets a' corresponding incline on the upper aw, means for holding the incline on the upper jaw up against, and in yielding contact with,

the incline on the presser, means for moving the presser lengthwise of the carrier, and adjustable means for limiting said movement'a in the direction requisite to depress the upper jaw, substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore set forth.

4. In a line casting machine of the character described, the combination with jaws constituting the top and bottom of the mold and means for varying the distance between said jaws at will, of side pieces housed in and interposed between the said jaws and spring-impelled each toward the face of the opposed jaw to form tight fitting self-adjusting side walls for the mold space, substantially as hereinbefore set forth.

n a line casting machine of the charactei'sdescribed, the combination with jaws constituting the top and bottom of the mold and means for varying the distance between said jaws at will, of side pieces housed one in the upper and the other in the lower jaw and spring-impelled toward the, face of'the opposed jaw. to form tight fitting self-adjustadjnsting one jaw lengtli'w'iseof the other at will to vary the normal distance between the e idelpieccs, substantially as hereinbefore set ort 1. Y

(3. In combination with. the upper mold jaw,,the lower mold jaw movable lengthwise relatively to the upper jaw, and the side mg side walls for, the mold, and means for pieces carried by the upper and lower jaws respectively, ,the spout-closing strip or enlargement 12, on the upperface of the lower jaw, outside the mold space next to the side piece carried by the lower jaw, substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore set forth. I

7. In a line casting machine, a traveling mold comprising an upper and lower jaw, one longitudinally movable relatively to the other, and side members spanning the space between the two jaws, in combination with means for automatically effecting the longitudinal movement between the two jaws to lengthen and shorten the mold space, substantially as hereinbefore set forth.

8. In a line casting moldthe combination of the upper and lower jaws, one longitudinally movable relatively to the other, a supporting frame therefor, two spring actuatedmembers spanning the space between the two jaws and tending to separate them, and

a wedge for adjusting and confining the upper aw in opposition to the spring pres sure, substantially as hereinbefore set forth.

9. A line casting mold mounted'to reciprocate bodily and comprising, in combination, a lower jaw, a rismg and falling upper' jaw, intermediate yielding members to close the ends of the mold space, a wedge for adjusting the upper jaw, and means for automatically causing a change in the relation between the wedge and the other parts, substantially as hereinbefore set forth.

I 10. In a line casting machine, a traveling mold having one member longitudinally justable means for automatically closing the mold to one length and width or another as required, and means for automatically opening the mold in both directions during its 'tTavel, substantially as hereinbefore set forth.

opposed jaws relatively movable to vary the casting width of the slot and manually op- 12. A traveling linotype mold having two I eratecl mechanism for thus positioning one of the jaws, in combination with means for automatically opening the thus-positioned jaw after the casting, and before the ejecting, operation, and for automatically returning said jaw to normal closed position after the ejecting and before the next succeeding castmg operation.

,In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence. of two witnesses.

'FRITZ o. LUGKE DAIXQ Witnesses:

- OSCAR MUSSINAN,

LoUIs T. STEIN. 

